CSA 3-11-12 to 3-18-12 Anyone have any questions?

I've been to Jamaica 3 times. This was my 2nd stay at CSA. In fact, this is the 1st time I've stayed anywhere a 2nd time. I go lots of places lots of times but never end up at the same hotel, rental house, resort etc twice. No real reason, just looking for something different. However, CSA covers everything and more so I have no reason to look for anything else. I'm already planning my 3rd trip to Couples and may consider CN just to check it out but I'm going to have to do a split visit because I can't get enough of CSA!

The staff was super friendly my first time there and I left feeling very satisfied with everything. This trip? I felt like the staff became close personal friends! I had such a long list of names to thank by the end of the stay I'm pretty sure I left some off the list (which I feel really bad about but I was sure to say how great everyone was s in my survey). And overall CSA exceeded my expectations even though I already knew what to expect! Everyone here already knows Couples is great and recognizes how hard they work at making it great - I didn't think it were possible to get any better but they sure seemed to be working harder and things definitely were better this time around!

I haven't reviewed my pix yet but I'll share them when I do. They should answer any doubts anyone has about having a good room, good beach, good ocean etc. Seriously, ignore the negative reviews you may find out there. "You can't please all the people all the time" is a very true statement. Was our stay perfect? Of course not. Was there anything "bad" worth mentioning? NO! Little tiny things that *could* ruin a trip IF you let them but they were so tiny only a person with a negative personality or someone looking for a reason to be unhappy would keep them in memory.

I adore the people-staff and guests alike. They are so happy and so friendly...on and off the resort. I really can't figure out how people can be unhappy while there?! And it carries over! I will have the "ya mon, no problem" attitude for a couple weeks!!

Let me know if you have any questions. I also got married on this trip so if you have questions about how all that works-ask away! I couldn't have asked for a better wedding!! I could also easily continue talking about my trip and my experience but it's better for me to say things were as close to perfect as one could expect from a resort trying to please thousands of people from all over the globe at the same time. I love CSA and can't wait to get back!!

We are on our way back to CSA for the third time next month and couldn't agree with you more about what a great place this is. We also agree that people will be as happy as they let themselves be. If you want to obsess over every little thing and let that ruin your vacation then they will. Of course, that type of person probably does the same thing every day at home. I feel so sorry for those who just don't know how to enjoy life. When you can't enjoy paradise what else is left for you?

I've been to Jamaica 3 times. This was my 2nd stay at CSA. In fact, this is the 1st time I've stayed anywhere a 2nd time. I go lots of places lots of times but never end up at the same hotel, rental house, resort etc twice. No real reason, just looking for something different. However, CSA covers everything and more so I have no reason to look for anything else. I'm already planning my 3rd trip to Couples and may consider CN just to check it out but I'm going to have to do a split visit because I can't get enough of CSA!

The staff was super friendly my first time there and I left feeling very satisfied with everything. This trip? I felt like the staff became close personal friends! I had such a long list of names to thank by the end of the stay I'm pretty sure I left some off the list (which I feel really bad about but I was sure to say how great everyone was s in my survey). And overall CSA exceeded my expectations even though I already knew what to expect! Everyone here already knows Couples is great and recognizes how hard they work at making it great - I didn't think it were possible to get any better but they sure seemed to be working harder and things definitely were better this time around!

I haven't reviewed my pix yet but I'll share them when I do. They should answer any doubts anyone has about having a good room, good beach, good ocean etc. Seriously, ignore the negative reviews you may find out there. "You can't please all the people all the time" is a very true statement. Was our stay perfect? Of course not. Was there anything "bad" worth mentioning? NO! Little tiny things that *could* ruin a trip IF you let them but they were so tiny only a person with a negative personality or someone looking for a reason to be unhappy would keep them in memory.

I adore the people-staff and guests alike. They are so happy and so friendly...on and off the resort. I really can't figure out how people can be unhappy while there?! And it carries over! I will have the "ya mon, no problem" attitude for a couple weeks!!

Let me know if you have any questions. I also got married on this trip so if you have questions about how all that works-ask away! I couldn't have asked for a better wedding!! I could also easily continue talking about my trip and my experience but it's better for me to say things were as close to perfect as one could expect from a resort trying to please thousands of people from all over the globe at the same time. I love CSA and can't wait to get back!!

y Fiance and I are getting married at CSA in December....who should we be tippping, and how much in your opinion?

Tips are entirely up to you but I tipped the most awesome hair girl (Dahlia) at the salon...she is adorable!!! I gave a little gift to my wedding coordinator (Priscilla) - we have a locally famous candy store so I took her some favorites. I also tipped the minister. Tipping is only permitted for non-Couples staff so that's why I gave a gift to Priscilla.

How much is again up to you. I gave $10 to Dahlia and Lloyd (the minister). I would've given more if it were an option but we had to set a limit to control our funds---I can get a little crazy when it comes to tipping

You can also tip your bus driver (to and from the resort). They are the only folks, beside baggage porters, who will "suggest" a tip for their services. Couple employees do not take tips. If you are using the Couples photographer you might want to take a little gift for him/her too. I didn't plan on buying photos from the Couples photog (I hired Stacey Clarke) but after seeing the photos I couldn't help buying some!! I felt horrible for not having a gift for them but I'll take one on my return trip Also, if you plan to go on the cat cruise they will accept tips so make sure you take a couple bucks with you.

Otherwise just relax and enjoy your days there - CSA will take care of everything and you will have the time of your life!!! Congrats!!!!

Wow your pictures are beautiful!!! My fiance and I are getting married there in 22 days!!! I can't wait!!! I plan on using the resort photographer. Can you tell me how much you paid for the pictures that you bought from her(him)? I'm trying to finish up the last details and starting to get nervous! Excited-nervous that is!!!

I wasn't supposed to get resort photos so I didn't sped a lot of time looking at the photo packages but there are a lot of options! I did find them a little pricey but I've had others tell me the pricing was pretty good while others nearly stopped breathing. I just thought they were a tad pricey--not overwhelmingly so. I went for the "smaller" package - purchased 18 5x7 prints in a photo album (these photos are also given to you on a cd so you own them and can duplicate/edit/whatever when you get home). The package is $450.

Since I didn't go with the resort photographer for the whole wedding event he only took a few pix of me in the salon then during the ceremony/license signing/on the beach moments after we signed the license. He took 72 pix total. If we had him as our photographer for the whole event we would have had lots of other pix and likely would have gone for a much larger package. (I feel awful but I don't remember his name but he was a total blast! His name starts with an A and it's rather long...he actually joked about it with Brian-hubby-a little. I have a couple pix of him though-when I get my pix uploaded I can post it so you can recognize him when you are there!).

The non-wedding photos in that grouping of pix were all taken by Cecil (I remember his name because I have horses and one of the farms cats is named Cecil ). Cecil is funny. He comes to take your picture while you are eating but instead of asking if he can take your picture he says he's going to harass you! Lol!

Be sure you don't call [I'll just call him] "A" and Cecil's cameras a camera. They are NIKONs! This is very important! Lol!! If you have "A" as your photographer tell him the couple he photographed on 3/14 and a day later he adjusted the settings on their NIKON say "HI! and wish him well!!!".

Shartalin - no ice machines. Our neighbor asked our housekeeing/turn-down if they could get ice if they need it - she said to call housekeeping (I think) if they needed it through the night. I'm sure you could get some from the bar and keep it in your fridge for a little while.

I was totally happy with everything exactly as it was for my wedding HopHead. It was just us 2 and we've been together for 17 years (got married on our 17 year dating anniversary actually!). I bought the upgrade flowers-thrilled I did it because they were exactly what I wanted. All in all I wouldn't have changed anything except I would have pinned my dress in the back so you could see the beading on the train which I had permanently bustled. Or, I might not have had the bustle---it wasn't as bad walking around the resort/beach as I thought but then again, I didn't drag much dress so that might be why my dress isn't really dirty (getting it dirty and dragging half the beach with me were my concerns with the train). But of course no one else would even think or notice anything because they didn't know what image I had in my mind

Really, CSA is wonderful and they will take care of everything for you! I am very laid back and nothing really ruffles me/stands a chance to "ruin my day" so I think I made things pretty easy for them too Really though, anything you want/need/have questions about will happily be answered by the stateside crew and finalized by the wedding coordinator when you get to the resort.

Beautiful pictures!! I'm getting married at CSA in May and we are using Stacey Clarke. We're soooo excited!

$450 sounds like a lot to me for that picture package, even with the album. Do you recall if they had any CD only packages? The main reason I didn't go with a resort photographer is because of the reviews on this board about the lack of editing of the pictures. I have a friend who works wonders with photo editing software and I would prefer just to get a CD if I like any pictures taken by the resort photographers.

Beautiful pictures!! I'm getting married at CSA in May and we are using Stacey Clarke. We're soooo excited!

$450 sounds like a lot to me for that picture package, even with the album. Do you recall if they had any CD only packages? The main reason I didn't go with a resort photographer is because of the reviews on this board about the lack of editing of the pictures. I have a friend who works wonders with photo editing software and I would prefer just to get a CD if I like any pictures taken by the resort photographers.

I have the 18 pix from the resort on CD. You own everything you buy from them so even though you get those 18 pix printed, you can do whatever you want with them when you get home!! I wanted CD only but they were pretty steadfast on their wedding options. They have much more flexibility with other non-wedding photos. I was bummed but I get it - imagine if they had a free for all?! Yikes! Some people would drive them nuts over custom packages etc etc.

In all honesty, as much as I thought $450 was a bit pricey for such a small package, it's been great having something to show people...and look at myself over and over and over again My hair/nail salon, my co-workers, my family (no one was with us for the wedding), my friends, even my chiro were SOOOO thrilled to have pix to look at already...not too many people get to walk away from their wedding with professional pix in hand 2-3 days later! That option is priceless in my opinion

Aychavez (my resort photographer) was so great! I went to look at his pix on a whim. They were exactly what I was looking for! I got married at 11 AM because I wanted that super blue ocean with the bright sunny beach...I got it and he captured it! If I wasn't thrilled with what I saw I was not going to buy anything. I'm so glad I went to look and am very happy with what he did.

One thing about the rooms I failed to mention anywhere...I keep forgetting about it but loved it!...is the lotion, shampoo, and body wash! They no longer put all these things as minis in your room. I panicked at first because I didn't take lotion, body wash, and my hubby didn't take shampoo. BUT! They now have dispensers on the wall! Genius! The shampoo and body wash (which are divine) are in the shower on the wall and the lotion is by the sink (omg that lotion is incredible!!). Such a smart idea and likely less costly since we can't just pack up the minis by the truck load to bring home Now that part is a little sad because I love having the option of "smelling" like Couples randomly throughout the year but that's ok. We'll just have to plan our trips back sooner (you still get 2 bottles of lotion in mini form but they don't smell the same).